I’m tickled to report that I’ve just learned I will be the recipient of a Canada Council Research and Development Grant! My first ever grant award! Along with a colleague I’ll be researching two late 18th century Blind musicians, Maria Theresia Von Paradis and Friedrich Dulon. We will be visiting austria, France and Germany in March. She will be researching notated musical works available only there. I will be researching places and ideas as a historical fiction writer/storyteller. Our goal is to create a performance and podcast including their music, some of which has been unheard for centuries, alongside historical fiction stories based on what I can learn of their lives and experience. My quest is to find real live folk in Ostrea, France and Germany with an interest in any of these topics, or just an interest in meeting and playing tour guide to some inquisitive Canadians. I’d love to connect. Please feel free to boost for reach, or to suggest contacts or hashtags. @CanadaCouncil #BringingTheArtsToLife